Daredevil: Born Again Season Two Review: The Devil of Hell's Kitchen is Back for More

The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen is back for more.

In the first season finale, Daredevil: Born Again left its pieces scattered across the board. Wilson Fisk, The Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio), was firmly entrenched as the mayor and had declared martial law. Jack Duquesne (Tony Dalton) is caged in an underground prison. Heather Glenn (Margarita Levieva) is dealing with the fallout of her experience with the villainous Muse. Officer Powell (Hamish Allan-Headley) patrols the streets with the Anti-Vigilante Task Force, rounding up anyone whom the mayor deems a threat. Benjamin Poindexter, the villain known as Bullseye (Wilson Bethel), has escaped and is seeking absolution. While Matt Murdock, Daredevil himself, and Karen Page (Charlie Cox and Deborah Ann Woll) are in hiding, working to disrupt the Kingpin’s operations and end his tenure as Mayor.

If that sounds like a lot of setup, that’s because it is. The sophomore season of Daredevil: Born Again was originally conceived as the latter half of Season One, so together they make up one complete story. In short, if you haven’t watched the freshman go around, you will be very confused. The good news is that if you have seen it, this season continues the excellent writing, performances, direction, and overall production value that made Season One so good.

Whereas Season One struck a good balance between the serious tone of the previously produced Netflix series and the overall vibe of the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe, Born Again Season Two leans a little more toward the dark side. More swearing, more violence, and Daredevil has literally painted his suit black. It’s a striking new look, and one that only grows cooler as the paint slowly peels away throughout the course of the season.

The relationship between Murdock and Fisk remains the linchpin of the series. Their shared animosity and their near dependence on one another provide the driving force in each other’s lives. This season, their other relationships deepen, too. Kingpin and his wife Vanessa (Ayelet Zurer) take centre stage in his story, and there’s even a flashback episode that will almost make you feel empathy for the villain, largely thanks to D’Onofrio’s excellent performance.

On the flip side, Daredevil’s relationship with Bullseye gets more of the limelight. Bullseye remains psychopathic but is seeking to balance the red in his ledger through what he sees as good deeds. The series takes many opportunities to make it clear that these two are far more similar than either might like to admit. And by the time they have a philosophical confrontation, Charlie Cox rises to the occasion, revealing a tumult of conflicting emotions even when his face is half-covered by a mask. Bethel, too, gives an excellent performance that blends a want to be better with the casual disregard that comes with sociopathy. That mix makes his action scenes the most fun, and his interactions with Cox some of the most interesting in the show.

Most of the other actors get a moment to shine as well. Allen-Headley continues to be the thug you love to hate, and Michael Gandolfini is great as the young, up-and-coming deputy mayor torn between wanting to impress and wanting to be a good person. Levieva has perhaps the most to chew on, as Heather’s mental state has clearly been impacted by her time with Muse. Her body language is slightly off-kilter, and her eyes display a mix of rage and fear. Not only is it fun to watch, but it also sets her up in a much more interesting place for an eventual Season Three.

Krysten Ritter is back in action as Jessica Jones, and it continues to be a role she was born to play. It’s important to note, though, that she isn’t around as much as the marketing might suggest (or as audiences may want). Matthew Lillard joins the cast this year, as the mysterious Mr. Charles, a role that gives him ample opportunity to chew the scenery. Lillard clearly had a great time in the role, but saying more about it would do him and the story a disservice.

As with Season One, Season Two continues the carefully woven narrative, and it pays off big time. There are no loose ends, but plenty of setup for more stories to tell. The action gets an upgrade, too, with more engaging use of not only Daredevil’s acrobatic abilities but also his batons. When the hero and the villain finally confront one another, it’s all-out and brutal, and fans will likely be very happy.

There has been much talk in the last year or two about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and whether the overall quality of the output has diminished, but it’s fair to say their recent television projects have been (mostly) stellar. Daredevil: Born Again continues that trend, concluding one of the best two-season runs they’ve produced to date.